World ME Day  - The disease where pushing harder can make you sicker.
On May 12th each year, World ME Alliance focuses on learning about, raising awareness of, and campaigning around Myalgic Encephalomyeltitis.
 
World ME Alliance - (We are a unique alliance of ME organisations from around the world.  Our membership is made up of senior leads/representatives from national ME organisations, working together to achieve change for people with ME at a national and international level.) 
For 2023 World ME Alliance are focusing on the key aspect of ME that everyone should know about: that pushing harder can make you sicker.  The technical term for this is post-exertional malaise (PEM).
Post-exertional malaise (PEM) is something that everyone with ME experiences. 
It is a worsening of symptoms after physical, mental, or emotional exertion that would not have caused a problem before the illness and is the hallmark symptom of ME. For some patients, sensory overload (light and sound) can induce PEM. PEM intensifies the severity of symptoms and may last days, weeks, or permanently.  The symptoms typically begin to worsen 12 to 48 hours after the activity or exposure.
 
The World ME Alliance website gives news from around the world, and suggestions as to how you can be involved.
 
 
ME Research UK publicise - Walk for ME 2023 - 
 
The aim of Walk for ME is to get as many people as possible - especially the family and friends of those affected by ME -  to do a sponsored walk, run, swim or ride of whatever length they feel comfortable with.
There is no minimum distance, no targets, and, although it runs principally through ME Awareness Week (2nd week in May), no set dates. You choose when you wish to walk, the distance, the location and the charity to support.  No matter what you do step-by-step, you will be supporting a great cause and also raising awareness with every stride.
 
It is hoped that as many friends and loved ones as possible will do a sponsored walk or other sponsored event during ME Awareness Week, although you can also do a walk, run, swim or ride at any other time if you prefer.
“The whole idea is that the friend or family member is doing something that their loved one would love to be able to do but can’t.“
Further information on the Walk for ME Just Giving page.
 
 
#MillionsMissing 2023! Announce -
#MillionsMissing 2023 will be held on May 12, 2023, at the Washington Monument in Washington, DC.  The event will feature an art installation and a press conference. 
#MEAction will host #MillionsMissing 2023 in partnership with Body Politic to demand bold, urgent governmental action for the millions of people living with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), Long COVID, and other infection-associated complex chronic diseases.
The pandemic showed the public what people with ME already knew: that the government, our healthcare systems, and society at large have systematically deprioritized people with infection-associated chronic illnesses.
The #MillionsMissing 2023 website explains how you can see the press conference, and become involved.
 
 
Action for M.E. (AfME) announce -
Blue Sunday;  The Tea Party for M.E.; 14th May 2023.
 
Champion fundraiser Anna Redshaw’s Blue Sunday Tea Party is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2023 and has so far raised over £70,000 for M.E. charities across the world. Join Anna and Action for M.E. this May to raise vital funds for people living with M.E., whilst enjoying tea, cake and community.
Anna has been running the Blue Sunday Tea Party for M.E. since 2013, as a way to fundraise but also to break the isolation so often experienced by people with M.E. You can read more about how the Blue Sunday Tea Party started on Anna’s blog.
Full information on How To Take Part available from AfME 
 
 
The ME Association (MEA) announcement -
ME Awareness Week - pleasant surprises from the Gloucestershire Friendship Group -
 
If paradise could be twice as nice, you’ll never find a better bunch than the Gloucestershire ME/CFS Friendship Group. They’ll be holding their annual ME Awareness Week bash on Saturday, 13th May and this year they’ve got a couple of surprises up their sleeves.
That afternoon, members will be out in force in Quedgeley Community Centre, near Gloucester, for a natter, a cuppa, a slice or two of some good home-bakes and a raffle stocked with over 20 prizes. The event will be held between 1.30 and 3.30pm.
 
 
Watch out for further announcements during week, plus a reminder -
Please join us during M.E. Awareness Week, when we look forward to greeting Marina Townend, Specialist Occupational Therapist/Team Lead, of the Worcestershire & Herefordshire ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Post-Covid Syndrome Services.
 
Our Afternoon Café Meeting will be held on Wednesday, 10 May, from 2.00 - 3.30 pm, in the Next Café, above the Next store at the Elgar Retail Park, Blackpole, Worcester, WR3 8HP.  Join us in the Next Café, above the Next store at the Elgar Retail Park, Blackpole, Worcester, WR3 8HP (There is a lift and escalator in the store, plus plenty of parking, including blue badge spaces near the main entrance.)  
 
All people with M.E., CFS, FMS, and their carers, friends and relatives, are welcome at all Worcestershire M.E. Social Group gatherings - please join us whenever it suits you.
Our recent Worcester Afternoon Café Meetings blog, gives future dates, and further information.
 
Marina Townend, recently updated us on the situation at the Herefordshire and Worcestershire NHS ME/CFS Local Services.  This is given in our recent Worcestershire NHS ME/CFS Local Services News blogs in April and March .
 
 
BACME (The British Association of Clinicians in ME/CFS) which is a multidisciplinary organisation for UK professionals who are involved in the delivery of clinically effective services for patients with ME/CFS, also explains -
Herefordshire and Worcestershire ME/CFS Service
The service supports people with a confirmed diagnosis of ME/CFS, age 18 and over, who have a GP based in Herefordshire or Worcestershire.  It offers therapeutic intervention by Occupational Therapists and Psychologists on a 1:1 and group basis, much of which is provided virtually (video or telephone call), although clinic appointments are available if preferred.  We can also undertake home visits if clinically indicated.


•  Action for ME  •  Hereford  •  Local News 
•  #MEAction  •  M.E. Association  •  Meetings 
•  MERUK  •  N.H.S.  •  Post COVID Syndrome (Long COVID)  
•  Worcestershire •  Worcestershire M.E. Social Group

The Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Herefordshire & Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust webpage was updated in January, with information included on our ME/CFS Local Services webpage update blog.      
This is a specialist part-time service that delivers support and treatment to people with ME/CFS within community settings across Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
 
 
At the end of March, we received further information from Marina Townend, Specialist Occupational Therapist/ Team Lead, of the Worcestershire & Herefordshire ME/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Post-Covid Syndrome services, updating us on the situation at the Herefordshire and Worcestershire NHS ME/CFS Local Services, and responding to our queries.  Marina hopes to be with us at our next Worcestershire M.E. Social Group Afternoon Café Meeting (see end of this blog).
 
 
Changes to the Worcestershire NHS Service, following the revised NICE (The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) Guidelines, published in October 2021
Marina informed us -
We have gone through the changes in the revised guidelines as a team, and developed an action plan to ensure that we are following them.  Some of these actions are still work in progress as I'm sure you can appreciate that it is time-consuming, and we are already under a huge amount of pressure carrying out our day-to-day work. However, we check in each team meeting to make sure these have not been forgotten and are still progressing.
Actions included changing our language to ME/CFS from CFS/ME (in written format and when speaking), updating our referral protocol and service literature to ensure that they reflect new guidelines, developing a workshop for carers, and compiling a care and support plan.  We are in on-going conversations with our commissioner about medical cover and also regarding how we work with people who are severely affected.
We were not offering CBT or GET as a 'cure' for ME/CFS so our approach to therapy has not changed - we see these interventions as beneficial for some people, at the correct time, and if applied in an appropriate manner. 
 
 
The Current Worcestershire NHS ME/CFS Specialist Services, -
We recently mentioned to Marina -
On the NHS ME/CFS Service webpage, it states - “we work as a multi-disciplinary team with Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Psychologists”.
Marina’s response included -
We have Nikki Mills (Physiotherapist) working in the Post Covid team 1.5 days/week.  She doesn't cover ME/CFS, but will offer guidance and resources to the team at times.  We are very much hoping to recruit a physiotherapist still and are in the process of going to recruitment again.
The PCS service also has access to Carrie Garrett, a Speech and Language Therapist, who offers us approximately 1 session/month.
 
 
Diagnosing Long Covid
Marina informed us -
Diagnosing Long Covid is more straight forward than ME/CFS, and GPs seem to feel more comfortable with this as many people have had a positive Covid test, or recognise the symptoms of the Covid virus.  If other possible causes of on-going symptoms have been ruled out, Long Covid is diagnosed by the GP.
This situation is likely to change, however, as testing is reduced, and new variants have different symptoms which are maybe less recognisable as Covid-19.  We anticipate that there will be more referrals to the ME/CFS service, and hope that the distribution of funding will reflect this.  It is one of the reasons why it has been decided that the PCS service should sit under the umbrella of the ME/CFS service, to allow some flexibility with this.  Referral to the PCS service is mainly via GPs, but other clinicians sometimes refer as well.
 
 
Previous news from Marina Townend is available from our blog last month.
 
 
Next Month
Marina informed us -
I am hoping to come to the Social Group on 10th May.  I look forward to seeing you again and will be very happy to answer any questions then. 


Please join us, when we look forward to greeting Marina at our next Afternoon Café Meeting. This will be held during ME Awareness Week on Wednesday, 10 May, from 2.00 - 3.30 pm, in the Next Café, above the Next store at the Elgar Retail Park, Blackpole, Worcester, WR3 8HP.
 
Our recent Worcester Afternoon Café Meetings blog, gives future dates, and further information.
 
 
The new Myalgic encephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy)/ chronic fatigue syndrome: diagnosis and management. NICE guideline [NG206] was published in October 2021.
 
See also from our website -
 
NICE ME/CFS: new Guideline (New downloadable Publications).
19/1/2022
 
NICE ME/CFS: new Guideline (Reactions).
25/11/2021
 
NICE ME/CFS: new Guideline now Published
29/10/2021

•  Hereford  •  Local News 
•  Meetings  •  N.H.S. 
•  N.I.C.E.  •  Post COVID Syndrome (Long COVID)  
•  Worcestershire  •  Worcestershire M.E. Social Group

Invite your MP to join the next meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on ME.  Explain your experiences to your MP, especially since the new NICE guideline was published in October 2021.
 
The ME Association (MEA) give details -
Invite your MP to join the next meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary on M.E
March 8, 2023
The next meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on M.E. will be the Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 21 March 2023 from 3:30pm-4:30pm. In addition to reconstituting the APPG, the AGM will include:

• a one year-on review of the implementation of the new NICE guideline including a presentation from Action for M.E. on the results from a Freedom of Information request regarding the implementation of the revised NICE Guideline responded to by 106 ICB’s and NHS Trusts.
• a discussion of support for those with severe ME
• consideration of our workplan for the coming year.
• Minutes of the AGM will be shared in accordance with APPG rules.

 
We'd be really grateful if you could invite your MP to attend.  Your MP can get further information by emailing Carol Monaghan, MP (Chair of the APPG on M.E.). 
Action for M.E. and The ME Association jointly share the secretariat responsibility for the APPG. 
 
Template email included by the MEA., for your use.
 
 
At the end of April 2022 our Worcestershire Social Group Blog announced - Decommissioned - ME/CFS Service at Worcestershire Acute Hospital .  If this has affected you, or you have any other concerns, this is your opportunity to let your MP know?
 
Plus recent local news:
Worcestershire NHS ME/CFS Local Services News
 
The Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Herefordshire & Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust webpage was updated in January, with information included on our ME/CFS Local Services webpage update blog.
 
Plus, we’ve received further information from Marina Townend, Specialist Occupational Therapist/ Team Lead, of the Worcestershire & Herefordshire ME/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Post-Covid Syndrome services, updating us on the situation at the Worcestershire NHS ME/CFS Local Services, and responding to our queries.
 
 
The new Myalgic encephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy)/ chronic fatigue syndrome: diagnosis and management. NICE guideline [NG206] was published in October 2021. 
See from our website -
 
NICE ME/CFS: new Guideline (New downloadable Publications).
19/1/2022
 
NICE ME/CFS: new Guideline (Reactions).
25/11/2021
 
NICE ME/CFS: new Guideline now Published
29/10/2021


•  Action for ME •  A.P.P.G •  Hereford •  Local News 
•  M.E. Association •  MP •  N.H.S. •  N.I.C.E. 
•  Parliament U.K. •  Worcestershire

 The Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Herefordshire & Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust webpage was updated in January, with information included on our ME/CFS Local Services webpage update blog.      
 
This week, we’ve received further information from Marina Townend, Specialist Occupational Therapist/ Team Lead, of the Worcestershire & Herefordshire ME/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Post-Covid Syndrome services, updating us on the situation at the Worcestershire NHS ME/CFS Local Services, and responding to our queries.
 
Diagnosing ME/CFS,
Marina informs us -
Unfortunately, we are still unable to confirm a diagnosis of ME/CFS within this service, despite our continued efforts to resolve this situation.  Last year, a service level agreement was made with Birmingham and Solihull Trust whereby the Consultant in their ME/CFS service would assess 50 people within Herefordshire and Worcestershire who have a suspected diagnosis of ME/CFS. Once a diagnosis has been confirmed, we then provide a service to those patients.  This temporary arrangement has worked well but there isn't capacity to continue so we need to find another solution. 
We have been working closely with our commissioner to identify various options, and these are being discussed with GP's and at executive level within the Trust and ICB. I hope a model will be agreed soon and look forward to local people being able to receive a diagnosis (and therefore support and treatment) in a timely way.
In the meantime, GPs continue to refer to this service.  We advise about other options for diagnosis (as detailed on your website) and hold a list of the patients who are in this position.  We have also told people about the (paying) Healthcare service that Action for ME offer, but appreciate this is not an option for everyone. 
 
Action for ME’s "Healthcare Services for M.E." (mentioned by Marina above).
Following our merger with The ME Trust in February 2022, we are now able to offer Healthcare Services alongside our Information and Support, Family Support and Advocacy services.
Click on the menu for more information about each clinical service, including how to refer yourself and details of fees.
Action for ME give details of bursary support on their website.


Covid-19,
Marina informs us -
Since October 2021, the Post Covid Syndrome (PCS) service sits under the umbrella of the ME/CFS service.  Sara Young (OT) has been seconded to the Clinical Lead post, and Helen Ayres (Psychologist) and I both work additional hours to staff the PCS service.  Demand has been very high, and it has been difficult to recruit to the service due to the way that the government provides funding on an annual basis at present. 
 
The Current Worcestershire NHS ME/CFS Specialist Services, -
Marina informed us -
We have recently welcomed Ceri Howell, Therapy Assistant, to the team and she works full-time hours across both services. Mya Krishnan, Clinical Psychologist, also started with us last May, working 2 days/week. 
I am currently covering all the Occupational Therapy input in the ME/CFS service. Unfortunately, the team has been without full admin support for the past 14 months, which has been difficult but will hopefully improve soon.
We continue to offer 1:1 and group interventions, mainly (but not exclusively) on-line as the feedback we have received suggests that this is generally helpful to manage fatigue.  We are starting to get more referrals from Herefordshire GP's now, and still receive a steady stream of referrals for people with the condition who live in Worcestershire.
 
Marina also apologised for the time it has taken her to get back to us.  She explained - - it has been an even busier couple of months as I have had two 3rd year students (OT and Physiotherapy) with me and the team, and new staff members to induct.  All very positive but also time consuming...!
We are still making edits to our website, and any feedback is welcome as we are keen to improve it further, within the corporate constraints of design. I am aware there are various typos and some links that need updating, and I am still liaising with our Comms team about these so hopefully the website will be amended soon. 
I was very sad to hear about Warwick but I'm pleased that you have resumed your meet-ups, and hope to come along to one of these in the next couple of months.  It has been a challenging time for many over the past few years, and support from us all is valued and much needed.
 
The new Myalgic encephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy)/ chronic fatigue syndrome: diagnosis and management. NICE guideline [NG206] was published in October 2021.
 
See also from our website -
 
NICE ME/CFS: new Guideline (New downloadable Publications).
19/1/2022
 
NICE ME/CFS: new Guideline (Reactions).
25/11/2021
 
NICE ME/CFS: new Guideline now Published
29/10/2021
 
 
Worcester Afternoon Café Meetings
 
Our next Afternoon Café Meeting will be from 2.00 - 3.30 pm, on Wednesday 12 April, in the Next Café, above the Next store at the Elgar Retail Park, Blackpole, Worcester, WR3 8HP.  (There is a lift and escalator in the store, plus plenty of parking, including blue badge spaces near the main entrance.)  
 
Our recent Worcester Afternoon Café Meetings blog, gives future dates, and further information.
 
•  Action for ME  •  Coronavirus (COVID 19)  •  Hereford 
•  Local News  •  Meetings  •  N.H.S.  •  N.I.C.E.  •  Post COVID Syndrome (Long COVID)   •  Worcestershire  •  Worcestershire M.E. Social Group  

Sadly, we’ve heard from Pauline Ovenden’s daughter, Heather, that Pauline has passed away.  Pauline Ovenden, was President of Herefordshire ME/CFS/FMS Group.
 
Pauline was a survivor from the Royal Free Hospital outbreak in 1955.   She was highly articulate, utterly dedicated to the process of informing the public better about ME; and as a Royal Free veteran she carried more authority than the rest of us.  In November 2004 the Hereford Support Group included Pauline’s “Personal Account of the outbreak of ME at the Royal Free Hospital” in their newsletter. 

This was then included in the Worcestershire December 2004 newsletter.
Pauline was a founder member of the Herefordshire ME/CFS/FMS Group 33 years ago, and part of a team that promoted a set of guidelines to local health authorities on ME.  Also, she represented the Herefordshire ME/CFS/FMS Group at NHS Worcestershire and Herefordshire ME/CFS Local Multi-Disciplinary Team (LMDT) steering group meetings, and the West Midlands ME Groups Consortium.
 
After the publication of the Chief Medical Officers report on M.E/C.F.S. in January 2002, the Guardian described how in 1955, Pauline was working at the Royal Free hospital in London when large numbers of staff were felled by a mysterious illness.
 
In 2007 Pauline was awarded the Herefordshire Voluntary Action ‘Volunteer of the Year’ Award in appreciation for her work for sufferers nationally and locally, and on a personal basis.  This was publicised by the ME Association.
 
We understand that Pauline’s funeral is on Friday 1st March at Hereford crematorium, 3pm.

Our group’s friend, Beryl Compton passed away on 17 March.  Beryl and her friends and relatives in the Stanford Bishop area, raised many hundreds of pounds for the Herefordshire CFS/ME/FMS Group and the Worcestershire ME Support Group over the years, plus their bingo sessions raised over £50,000 for the MEA’s Ramsey Research Fund.

Beryl’s funeral service will be held on Wednesday 6 April, at Hereford Crematorium.

In July 2011, the ME Association (MEA) highlighted news from the Ledbury Reporter - “A community hero has raised about £45,000 to help fund research into a neurological illness.  Beryl Compton, of Stanford Bishop, has reached the impressive total over a period of 23 years by organising bingo events with family and friends in the Bishops Frome area for the ME Association.”

In 2004 Dr Charles Shepherd of the MEA presented Beryl with one of the MEA’s champion fundraiser certificates.

21 August 2015

Hereford Group highlighted on the MEA (ME Association)

J Simpson responds to Tony and Pat Adams, Co-chairs, Herefordshire CFS/ME/FMS Group

 ‘It is time for us to take M.E. seriously’ |
Letter to the Hereford Times | 21 August 2015
www.meassociation.org.uk/2015/08/it-is-time-for-us-to-take-m-e-seriously-letter-to-the-hereford-times-21-august-2015/

From the Hereford Times, 21 August 2015/
WELL done, Tony and Pat Adams for highlighting the plight of sufferers of ME and fibromyalgia in Herefordshire (No county facility for these illnesses, Letters, August 6).

A study in Denmark confirmed these opinions:
“In comparison with other chronic illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, end-stage renal disease and heart disease, patients with ME show markedly higher levels of disability” (Quality of Life and Symptom Severity for Individuals…from a Randomised Clinical Trial, RR Taylor, American Journal of Occupational Therapy 2004:58:35-43).

And Professor Nancy Klimas, of the University of Miami, has said:
“There is evidence that the patients with this illness [ME] experience a level of disability that is equal to that of patients with late-stage AIDS, patients undergoing chemotherapy (and) patients with multiple sclerosis,”

What does Herefordshire Clinical Commissioning Group do for us? The answer is nothing.

MS? Come to the clinic.
AIDS? Come to the clinic.
Renal disease? Come to the clinic.
ME? (Worse quality of life than all those.) Close the door on the way out.

J SIMPSON,  Bartestree



HERE’S THE ORIGINAL LETTER BY TONY AND PAT ADAMS: www.herefordtimes.com/news/letters/13581235.No_county_facilities_for_these_illnesses/

From Hereford Times, 08 August 2015

Hereford Group highlighted on AfME -

www.actionforme.org.uk/get-informed/news/daily-press-summary/1m-philosophy-study-into-cfs

Steps to getting M.E./CFS and FM recognised
In a letter to the editor, the co-chairs of a Herefordshire support group for people with M.E./CFS and fibromyalgia highlight the illnesses, aiming to bring them to the attention of the local people. They mention a parliamentary debate on fibromyalgia in July, which was “an important step forward towards getting the condition recognised,” with key points raised at the debate applying to M.E./CFS as well.
Hereford Times, p 32
06/08/15


Full letter from the Hereford Times

www.herefordtimes.com/news/letters/13581235.No_county_facilities_for_these_illnesses/

No county facilities for these illnesses WE are writing, on behalf of members of the Herefordshire CFS/ME/FMS Group, to highlight Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Myalgic Encephalomy- elitis (ME), Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS)) and to bring them to the notice of Herefordshire people.

Anyone can develop these conditions at any age. They are life-changing, debilitating, and symptoms for all three conditions can include profound exhaustion/fatigue, widespread severe pain, flu-like symptoms, stomach and digestive problems, memory and concentration loss, disturbed/unrefreshing sleep, intolerances/increased sensitivity and more. Non-sufferers find it difficult to appreciate how ill a person is, because we look normal.

There are no facilities/clinics to help people with these illnesses in Herefordshire, and diagnosis is difficult and can take up to three years.

On July 1, there was a parliamentary debate on fibromyalgia, which is an important step forward towards getting the condition recognised throughout the country.

Key points were raised, which not only apply to FMS, but to ME/CFS as well.

• Education and knowledge of FMS/ME/CFS must be improved among GPs and other health professionals to help improve diagnosis of these conditions.

• Strategies should be promoted and developed within the NHS to provide an integrated and holistic service with patient empowerment as key.

• The NHS should aim to set up a network of clinics across the country, so that patients who have a flare-up have somewhere to go for treatment other than A&E or hospital.

Our group meets on the first Saturday of every month (except January), from 2.30pm at the Aspire Community Hub, Canal Road, Hereford, HR1 2EA. Anyone is welcome to attend or check our facebook page on, facebook.com/CFS.ME.FMS.Group for up-to-date information on meetings.

TONY ADAMS & PAT ADAMS Co-chairs, Herefordshire CFS/ME/FMS Group

www.actionforme.org.uk/get-informed/news/daily-press-summary/headmaster-goes-extra-mile-for-me

M.E./CFS support in Hereford
The Herefordshire CFS/M.E./FMS Group is a self-supporting, voluntary organisation which meets at 2.30pm on the first Saturday of every month (except for January) in the Aspire Community Hub, Canal Road, Hereford. A typical meeting will be good humoured and may have a guest speaker on a topic of interest. The next meeting will be on 1 August.
Hereford Times, online
23/07/15

 

Full article in the Hereford Times -

www.herefordtimes.com/news/13494677.Your_Herefordshire_County_Times__Aymestrey_and__Leinthall_Earls_to_Yarkhill__July_23__2015/

THE HEREFORDSHIRE CFS/ME/FMS GROUP – The Herefordshire CFS/ME/ FMS Group is a self-supporting, voluntary organisation which supports those who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, myalgic encephalomyelitis, and fibromyalgia syndrome. The group meets regularly at 2.30pm (doors open at 2.15pm) on the first Saturday of every month (except for January) in the Aspire Community Hub (formerly the Canal Road Day Centre) in Canal Road in Hereford. These are debilitating illnesses and symptoms can include profound exhaustion, fatigue, stomach and digestive problems (including irritable bowel syndrome), flu like symptoms, memory and concentration loss, disturbed unrefreshing sleep, intolerances/ increased sensitivity, severe pain, widespread pain and stiffness and many others.

Anyone can develop these illnesses at any age. The causes are not yet fully known, but can develop after trauma, illness and accidents. It must be stressed that the Herefordshire CFS/ME/ FMS Group is a support group that really lives up to its name and includes people from all walks of life.

Members do their best to help fellow sufferers and really care about each other.

If anyone thinks they might show the symptoms of fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis, their first action should be to visit their GP.

Treatment is available to ease some symptoms, although they are unlikely to disappear completely. To non-sufferers the presence of CFS, ME and FMS is often not readily identifiable, but group members are fully aware of the problems and can share their experiences.

A typical meeting will be good humoured and may have a guest speaker on a topic of interest but members will always be updated with any relevant news on new research, medications, forthcoming events and absolutely anything that might help to alleviate their symptoms. The next meeting will be on August 1. New members are always welcome.

Anyone with any queries is asked to call Jenni on 01432 271536.

June 2004
 
In May 2003 the government announced a 'cash-injection' of £8.5 million to develop new NHS services for people with M.E. in England. 
The four Primary Care Trusts of Herefordshire, South Worcestershire, Redditch & Bromsgrove, and Wyre Forest placed a bid in April 2004 for a Herefordshire and Worcestershire CFS/M.E. Local Multi-Disciplinary Team (LMDT). 
The Department of Health advised the bid should be reduced.  A revised bid for CFS/ME services was placed in June 2004 (see file below), and accepted. 

Further details are available in our “Extracts from group newsletters giving ‘CFS/ME and the NHS in Worcestershire’ reports” - in the NHS IN Worcestershire section.